Page 25 of Revive Me

But just as quickly, everything sobers when she glances at the clock on the wall and asks, “Do you drive? Or are you getting picked up? I never got a chance to ask.”

And just like that, embarrassment slithers through my veins.

Because I’m a twenty-eight-year-old grown fucking man and my mom has to drive me everywhere.

I thought about trading in my sports car for a truck and converting it to being hand operated. I could’ve eked out the money for it. But doing that felt…too final. Like I was accepting the idea that I’d never have use of my legs again.

I can’t meet Lily’s eyes as I answer with a gritted, “I have a ride.”

She doesn’t seem nearly as troubled by my transportation situation because she simply nods. “Same. I’ll wait with you.”

That makes me turn my focus back to her. “Wait, what? What do you mean?”

She’s already moving toward the break room along the opposite wall as she calls over her shoulder, “Normally, I would stay later to finish up my patient notes for the day, but my friend Tina is picking me up today. I don’t want to make her wait.”

“Why is your friend picking you up?”

Lily appears with her coat and purse in hand. “My car’s in the shop. I got in an accident the other day so they’re fixing it up. Which means Tina gets to be my chauffeur this week.”

She’s grinning at the end of her explanation, oblivious to the fact that my heart has picked up speed.She was in an accident? Was she hurt?

It isn’t until my eyes dart over her body, checking for injuries, that she catches on to my train of thought.

“Relax, Roman, I’m fine,” she says, a little more gently. “It was just a fender bender.”

“People can still get whiplash from fender benders,” I respond gruffly.

Liliana grins and gestures around her. “Well, the good news is, I know some people who are really good at fixing those kinds of injuries. Not that I got whiplash.” Her lip twitches. “Can I also add that I’m honored you didn’t assumeIcaused the accident.”

“That’s more a reflection on the trust I put in the steady hands of my physical therapist,” I say simply, trying to cover the worry I just revealed.

But that just makes her grin widen. “That’s just as good of a compliment, so I’ll take that too.”

I let out a heavy sigh of defeat and leave the room.

It isn’t until I reach the parking lot that I realize how awkward this is about to be. I never thought the vulnerability of rehab would be less embarrassing than waiting for my mom to come pick me up.

The discomfort makes me restless in my seat, the need todosomething growing. Especially when I hear the door shut behind me and then Lily appears beside me.

She looks around the empty parking lot. “Looks like they’re both late, huh?”

The one time my mom isn’t sitting in her car reading a book…

Finally, the restlessness hits a point that has me reaching into my pocket for my cigarettes. As soon as I light it up and take a big drag, everything inside of me calms.

And then I realize Lily’s staring at me.

Frowning, I lower my hand. “What?”

“You smoke?”

I flick the ashes onto the pavement. “Clearly.”

Her shock turns into a disappointed frown. “So much for only putting healthy things in your body, huh?”

I almost want to laugh.

“A lot of good that did me,” I say, taking another drag.

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